City Wage Changes Discussed Peacefully

After a stormy workshop session Tuesday, all was peace and quiet last night at Easton City Council, even though the ordinance to make salary adjustments for five employees was introduced.

Three residents protested council's action, but council members Robert Willever and Carol Weaver stressed the proposals were only introduced.

Weaver urged protesters to wait until Jan. 27 when the salaries will be voted on.

"You may get good news in two weeks," she told William Givens, who raised such a fuss Tuesday night that police had to be called to the council chambers. Weaver lauded him for his quiet demeanor last night.

And Willever stressed that it was "my duty and responsibility" as financial chairman to bring the issue of the salaries to council. "My introducing the salary ordinance does not prejudice my vote," he said.

Mayor Thomas Goldsmith proposed that Stu Gallaher, now assistant business administrator, be moved to personnel manager. He would retain his salary of $39,441, although the salary for that job previously was $37,835. It has been vacant since the death last fall of Philip Levine.

Leanna Sloyer, data processing supervisor earning $35,104, would move to Gallaher's position as assistant business administrator. However, she would get $38,104 compared to the $39,441 the job pays now.

Barbara Kowitz, administrative assistant, would receive the most sizable jump, from $28,969 to $32,000. The salary of Patricia Glory, personnel assistant/executive secretary, would be increased from $21,499 to $23,038. She will have additional duties assisting Gallaher.

The data processing coordinator position, which is vacant now, carried a salary of $29,233 but would drop to $21,499 for the person hired.

Two union employees would also be considered for raises. Gino Finocchio, engineering aide, would go from $20,050 to $21,550, while Richard Jones, chief laboratory technician at the water plant, would see a salary hike from $11.31 an hour to $12.17 an hour. Based on a 40-hour week, that salary would go from $23,525 to $25,314 yearly.

Also introduced was a proposed salary for Theresa Hogan, assistant city solicitor, of $22,947. The previous assistant, William Murphy, now council solicitor, received $24,767.

While there were indications the proposed salary changes might not be approved, there is only $394 difference between what the salaries for the jobs are now, versus those proposed.

Council President William Houston said the figures presented last night were "reduced quite considerably" from the initial proposals by the administration. He said the salaries, which Goldsmith called "salary adjustments," had been discussed many times in executive sessions.

In fact, Tuesday night, the voices of council members shouting could be heard in the hallway during their 2-1/2-hour executive session.

But, Houston warned the audience, he would not permit any shouting, yelling, or name-calling, as occurred Tuesday. "Give your comments constructively," he urged.

Robin Denker, one of the leaders of the fight against privatization of the city trash collections, criticized the city for considering raises when it let six sanitation workers go and the mayor had said there was a wage freeze for all non-uniformed employees.

Houston said the mayor said some salaries needed adjusting. Denker said the employees knew the pay when they accepted the job. "If they don't like it, they can leave," she said, begging council not to pass the salary ordinance. "It is not fair to other people."

She said that members of Local 447, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, approved a contract with no raises for 12 months.

Givens asked that the motion be tabled, but Houston said council believed the issue had to be faced. "We are not running away from it," he said. "We are facing it head on." Willever agreed, saying tabling it would only delay the action.

But that didn't pacify Givens. He called the administration's salary request "extraordinary," especially since more than 100 city employees were put on a wage freeze. "There is no fairness, no justice, no equity," he said. "I am astounded it was even introduced."

Givens questioned where the mayor and his aides were last night. Goldsmith was not present, but several of his staff members were. "I think he (and his staff) should have the decency to defend the action he proposed," Givens said.

The Rev. Clyde McCrae, pastor of the Open Bible Church of West Ward, said he was concerned about the "poor people in the community who are really struggling to pay their water, electric, sewer, gas and medical bills."

"Think of the poor people when you vote on those raises," he said.

McCrae also said his neighborhood was being affected by people changing oil in their cars and doing car repair work in the street. Police Chief John Border said there are laws prohibiting those activities, and if police were called, the complaints would be investigated.